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At the beginning of the film, D.M.C. is released from jail, at which time he returns to New York City with his band-mates, Run and Jam Master Jay. They are ready to schedule some gigs and kick-start their musical careers when things take a dark turn. Their friend Runny Ray, played by Raymond White, has been murdered; this pulls the group into a seedy world of crime and violence. As they attempt to determine who is responsible for the murder, their own lives become endangered. However, the action is balanced with a series of musical performances by the stars and other late '80's hip-hop stars including Slick Rick and Beastie Boys.

While the music usually garners a favorable response, critics generally panned the film. According to The Washington Post, the film is "vile, vicious, despicable, stupid, sexist, racist and horrendously made." [2] This review is typical as the film has been referred to more recently as "poorly executed and exploitative fare." [3]

It was briefly available on VHS, but went out of print within two years due to poor sales and a rumored injunction by the Beastie Boys and Capitol Records, their new label. For this reason, it is almost certain that New Line will never release it on DVD.

In response to the negative reactions to the film, critics like Randall Clark have pointed out the many connections between the movie and the history of the "Blaxploitation" genre. Much like earlier films such as Shaft and Black Samson, the plot features inner-city anti-heroes who need to take the law into their own hands as they have been neglected by the more traditional avenues of justice.[4]